Stud
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: Whatever Abby Temple wants, her husband will move Heaven & Earth to give her. So, when she decides she wants to have his baby, Connor must "rise" to the challenge.
1. Chapter 1

Stud  
2013 Evenstar Estel

Connor was finding it difficult to concentrate. He was tired mentally and physically weary. It had been a long day and it was stretching into a long night. It was his own fault really, he _had_ to know what had happened in Vancouver in the past year. He and Kieron had come back home through the anomaly, and quickly learned that their knowledge of the past year's goings on in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada with Evan Cross and what had occurred in the world they'd come home to were quite different.

Above all, and the only reason Connor could conduct himself in a remotely sane manner, was that his life with Abby as he'd known it had not changed. She'd been waiting there at the anomaly when they'd come back through. She'd uncharacteristically broken down at the sight of him and run to him, flung her arms around his neck and held on for dear life. Now they were home and while he scoured the web for information on Evan Cross, Abby sat watching television on the other side of the flat. It was muted and she seemed to be lost in thought, but he wasn't sure she was ready to talk. She was chewing on her thumb nail as she often did when she was thinking about something important.

It had been a bit of a whirlwind after he and Kieron had returned. It was nearly six hours later before they'd left the ARC and they'd been home an hour. Their initial reunion had been left unfulfilled as Lester, Matt and the rest had wanted full reports and details. Abby had hovered and he'd been aware of her presence the entire time, aching to take her to be alone somewhere. After they'd arrived at the flat, he'd said he'd wanted to look at something online, and she'd gone to get them something to eat. He'd become engrossed in his findings and eaten the sandwich she'd brought him in just a few bites. Time passed and here they were - she was near, but not with him, and he was staring blankly at the computer screen at the desk. He sighed and snapped the laptop shut. His body ached and wanted rest. His heart felt incomplete. He needed to have a talk with Abby. He knew his going through the anomaly had upset her terribly and he wanted to make amends. He had a good many promises to make her and keep in earnest. He hated seeing her cry and hated even more being the cause of it. He'd scared her, as well as himself. She was his wife now and that meant something significant. There was nothing he'd wanted more than to marry Abby since the day they'd met and it was time he started putting her first. Anomalies were a calling, no doubt about that fact, but if the choice ever had to be made, he'd walk away to keep what he had with her.

With his decision made, he swivelled around in the chair, but was taken back when he found that Abby was but a foot from him. His jaw dropped and the muscles of his stomach and groin tightened. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts that he'd not noticed her taking her clothes off or approaching him. He stared up at her in awe as well as a healthy dose of lust. She truly was breathtaking, especially when she smiled at him as she was now. He went to speak but she cut him off with her lips crushing themselves to his. Connor moaned and opened his mouth, letting her tongue slip inside to curl and duel with his. Her hands settled on his shoulders and then she was climbing on to the office chair with him, straddling his hips.

They continued to kiss as Connor's hands glided up her thighs to grip her rear and gave it a good squeeze as he pulled her closer. Abby's hands deftly unbuckled his belt and undid his trousers. She lowered the zip and her hand snuck inside his boxers to first grip, then stroke his cock. He groaned under her ministrations and grew hard for her. Just as she pulled his length free of his shorts, she pulled her lips from his. She stared down at him and held his gaze as she guided him to her opening and slowly lowered herself down. He watched with rapt fascination as pleasure danced across her face. The way she bit into her bottom and her eyelids fluttered as she was stretched by his girth fuelled his desire for her. She was soft, warm and tight and he struggled to stave off his release, even as his stomach muscles clenched and the familiar ache in his groin intensified.

Once she'd taken all of him, she met his eyes once more. She then guided his hands to her breasts and he began to gently knead the soft flesh and thumb her nipples. He loved feeling them pebble into hard little points. Her fingers wove through the lengths of his hair, cajoling and petting him like he was a big cat before she drew him nearer. He instinctively knew what she wanted and his tongue darted out to wash over one nipple before taking it between his lips to begin to suckle upon it. As he kissed and sucked at her flesh she began to roll and buck her hips against his, raising and lowering herself just a fraction, enough to create a deep friction that already had her whimpering.

Her arms closed themselves around his neck and head and she held him against her breasts as his hands roamed over her back, pressing into her sweat dewed skin. He sat passive beneath his wife, letting her control their mating, letting her take from him whatever she was in need of. The chair creaked and wobbled under them, but Connor did his best to keep them steady. However, when she pressed herself down upon him with force and he felt himself at her deepest point, his head fell back and he groaned loudly. He felt the fluttering and clenching of her channel around him as she ground herself down upon him, pressing her clit to the base of his cock. She needed just a little more and he was afraid he'd come before she found what she sought. He insinuated his thumb between them and rubbed the hard little nub of her clit with sure and hard circles.

Abby clutched at his shirt, let out a sharp cry and came. Her muscles clamped down around him, then rippled along the length of him, clenching over and over as her orgasm consumed her. He followed quickly behind her, feeling everything tighten to the point of near pain and then finally release, blissful and complete until he was spent.

Abby's forehead dropped to his shoulder and she sniffed as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She always seemed to cry after, but she assured him it was only because she felt lucky to be loved and wanted by him. He kissed her neck and held her as they both came down from their high.

"Abby..." he whispered, wanting to question what had brought on the wonderful lovemaking they'd just shared. She said nothing, but kissed his cheek and held him. They were silent for several minutes until Abby drew back, the smile returned to her face.

"Make love to me again?" she asked simply. "Take us over to the sofa?"

He nodded and supported her as he rose, kicking off his trousers and boxers as they fell to his ankles. He lay her down on her discarded clothes atop their lush leather sofa. Fitting himself back inside her, he lay atop her and with soft caresses and hungry kisses, rousing himself again to take claim of his beloved. Their second union lasted far longer and neither were in a rush to reach the climactic point again too soon. They savoured each other, slow and perfect, kissing deeply throughout and over any part of each other's skin the could reach.

Afterwards, Connor found himself inescapably caged by Abby's arms and legs. She asked him to stay with her, and that she wanted to feel his weight pressing her down and to stay joined with him. She hugged him tight and he rested his face at her neck and in her hair with his eyes closed. One hand rested upon her face with his thumb rhythmically stroking the apple of her cheek. He breathed in her heavenly scent and felt himself drifting off to sleep.

"Connor?" he heard her speak, rousing him from the cottony thickness of near unconsciousness.

"Hmm?" he replied, too sleepy and satiated from their couplings to bring forth any words.

"I want... it's important..." she stammered, an edge of nervousness to her words.

"You can ask," he whispered to her ear. "I'll not say no. Whatever you want, you can have."

"I want to have your baby, Connor." Her words hung in the air and he felt her loosen her hold around his body. He lifted his head, turning hers so he could look her in the eye. He must've had an odd, or questioning look on his face, because she looked scared.

"B... baby? You n' me?" he finally got out, more than a little surprised. He sort of knew in the back of his mind that one day, eventually, they'd probably get to this point, but they'd never really discussed it. He knew Abby had fears about becoming a mother herself, after having grown up afraid of and emotionally detached from hers. She knew it was something he wanted however, and it appeared as if she'd decided just how she felt about that.

"I... I want... can we?"

They'd have a proper talk later, about the hows and whys of what had brought her to this point, but for the time being, looking into her shimmering eyes and the pleading look she was giving him, he had only one answer. "Yes. 'Course it's yes!"

Her smile was instant and then tears followed. He kissed her and she laughed, obviously relieved. He was overjoyed and ecstatic and she seemed to be as well. The very idea had him in want of her again and soon laughter dissolved into sounds of an all together different nature as the sofa once again supported them as they resumed with the very act that would bring them their hoped for outcome.

Connor still wondered what had brought on her declaration, but it would keep until tomorrow. For the present, he had a very beautiful wife to ravish.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The sunlight streaming through the half drawn curtains roused Connor from sleep the next morning. Its warmth and brightness made him wince and pull the covers over his head. As the fog cleared and he slowly came around, a smile appeared on his face as he remembered the night before. After making love on the sofa, twice, they'd made their way upstairs for another fantastic round before falling asleep in each other's arms. Abby's words still echoed in his head. She wanted to have his baby. He wanted to run down the streets and shout it out to everyone. He opened his eyes fully and pulled back the duvet to look upon his beautiful wife. He leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. She stirred slightly and burrowed deeper against the pillow.

He watched her for a few minutes and then she opened one eye, catching him watching her. She made a kittenish mew and hid her face.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"No clue, but the alarm hasn't gone off, so we might be safe for a little while," he replied, kissing her cheek. "Good morning, sunshine."

She turned to look at him, a sweet, loving smile upon her face. "It is a good morning, isn't it?"

"Very!" He kissed her full on the lips, his hand cupping the side of her face. He lay his head next to hers on her pillow, lovingly stroking his fingers through her hair. "Do you remember when I suggested we huddled together for warmth? When we were out by the river looking for an anomaly?"

"Yes."

"Did you happen to think to yourself, one day I'm going to marry that man!"

Abby giggled and gave him a playful shove. "I'll admit that it took a bit of time to come around, but I did think you were sweet. A bit of a disaster, but a sweet one."

"So you're saying you liked me?"

"Course I liked you, as a friend." The sudden frown to his face clearly amused her, but she was willing to play his game. "Perhaps I also thought you had very soulful eyes and kissable lips. Maybe."

"Maybe? I think you wanted me, even then." He grinned and she smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand.

"What I wanted, and what I needed most was a real friend. One who cared about me, one who loved me and that was you. I loved you for it, even if I couldn't figure out what kind of love it was until the Cretaceous."

He lay his hand to her cheek and looked her in the eyes. "Abby, what you said last night, about you n' me..." She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "Um... y'know?"

"I do. Go on."

"About us, maybe, that is, you having my..."

"Your baby, Connor. I said I wanted to have your baby."

The radiant smile when she'd said the words the night before returned to his face. "You having my, our baby. What made you decide it's what you wanted?"

Abby closed her eyes and smiled, resting against her pillow as Connor continued to stroke her cheek with his thumb. "A lot of reasons, mostly to do with loving you and you loving me."

"That's a very good reason."

"And because I'd like to prove to myself that I can do it, be a good mum, and not be like mine was."

"You'd never be like her, Abby. You'll be a wonderful mum."

"Thanks, Conn." She opened her eyes and they shone with unshed tears. "Something inside me says it's right for us."

"I can't think of anything I'd like more."

"Then we best get started."

Connor's demeanour changed upon hearing her invitation and he smouldered. He closed in and captured her lips for a scorching kiss that left her breathless. "Thought we got started last night?" he rasped as his hand went between her thighs and opened them. His clever fingers found her centre and eased inside. He began stroking her walls with the pads of his fingers, causing Abby to whimper and writhe against them. He rubbed her clit with his thumb and she gasped, clutching at his shoulders. He withdrew and moved over her, settling himself inside her and once again capturing her lips for a needful kiss. Abby's hands wove through his hair as she deepened the kiss. She drew her knees up against his ribs and bucked against him as he began to thrust slowly, wanting to savour the time they had.

The warmth of his wife's body and the heat they generated under the duvet left Connor feeling soporific. They traded lazy kisses and moved together, each stroke drawn out, long and intense. Abby's fingernails dug into the skin of his back, leaving little crescent moon shaped bruises. He abandoned kissing her mouth to suckle upon the pulse point of her neck, smiling against her skin as he was rewarded with a heated moan from her.

One hand massaged her breast while the other snuck behind her back to take hold of the back of her neck. Their eyes met and he stilled. He looked over her face and thought he'd never seen a more glorious sight. Her pupils were blow wide and a drop of sweat had pooled in the cleft above her top lip. She panted for breath and her chin quivered. He could feel the walls of her sex tensing around his cock, hot and tight, begging for release. He trailed his hand down her body and underneath to take a firm hold of her thigh. He pulled back and then thrust in, hard. Abby threw her head back and cried out.

Connor continued with his rougher lovemaking, her cries of pleasure spurning him on. Abby thrashed beneath him, so close to tumbling over the edge, but not quite there. He continued on in this fashion for several minutes, watching her face and the looks of sweet torture that played over it. He knew precisely what she needed and twisted his hips just so as he lifted her up. She cried out his name and then they sunk down deep into the mattress together as they were both consumed with powerful orgasms. Connor jerked and and groaned out Abby's name as he spilled himself inside her while her sweet pussy milked him for every last drop. Connor collapsed atop her, their foreheads touching.

"God, Connor," Abby moaned. "I can't even feel my legs! That one'll definitely get me pregnant!"

"That good, eh?" he asked, a notable smirk on his face. A smirk that she promptly wiped off his face as her core spasmed around him once more.

She exhaled, a long ragged breath and relaxed. "More than good, phenomenal even. It's always so good in the mornings, you last longer."

"Hey! I can last just as long after work!"

"Not quite, but you're usually good for more than one round instead, as last night proved. Doesn't matter. The sex is awesome. I'm a very lucky woman."

Connor laughed and rolled off her on to his back. "Y'know, if you wanted to spread a few rumours around the ARC..."

"Don't need to, most of the women know."

"What?"

"When we got back from our honeymoon and I couldn't wipe the silly grin off my face Jess cornered me and demanded details. I pretty much told her everything. By that afternoon most of the female staff were aware."

"I remember that day! Abby, all the women and even some of the men kept staring at my crotch! I thought I'd spilled something on me trousers!"

"Nope, they were just sizing you up, seeing if I was exaggerating."

"You were smug about something that afternoon. Huh."

Abby rolled on to her side and pressed a kiss to his chest. "Chelsea in Accounting even came up to congratulate me."

"Which one is she?"

"Brunette, mole on her cheek. Looks a bit like Nigella Lawson."

"Right! Jo doesn't know, does she? I have to work with her!" He was referring to Jo North who was a member of Connor's field team along with Martin Allingham and Kieron Cole.

"Just rumours, I'm sure. She's not been with the ARC long enough. She doesn't really interact with the staff besides the core teams."

"Good, good. But she's your friend..." Abby grinned and gave his nipple a little bite before soothing it with her tongue. Connor groaned and Abby giggled as she saw the duvet begin to tent as his cock rose to attention for her. Just then their alarm went off. It was time to get ready for work. Abby crawled over him and turned off the alarm before settling herself astride him. Reaching behind her, she guided his cock to her and sunk herself down, her thighs spread wide to take him fully.

"We'll have to make it quick, wouldn't want to be late!"

Connor smiled and took hold of her waist as she began to move atop him. "We can be a little late."

!*!*!

"You're certainly chipper this morning," Matt said as he entered the lab, just as Connor was putting the casing on his new prototype handheld integrated anomaly detection device. "Becker said you were singing in the halls earlier."

"I wasn't singing!" Connor protested. "I was humming. There's a difference. Besides, can't a bloke be having a good day?"

"Fair enough," Matt allowed. "Come on, the new EMDs have arrived and the manufacturer is going to demonstrate the upgrade for us."

"I'll go to the menagerie and collect Abby," Connor volunteered, secretly hoping to get a quick snog with his wife in. Truth be told, all her talk about wanting to get pregnant had him randy as hell. He took a deep breath, trying to banish thoughts of sex from his mind, but failed miserably. All he could picture was Abby riding him earlier that morning like a woman possessed.

"I've already told her. She'll meet us there."

Upon walking into the armoury Connor spied his wife waiting and their eyes locked. He couldn't help but notice her sharp intake of breath and how the colour of her eyes darkened. He felt it too, the magnetic pull between them, and quickly rushed past Becker standing beside the man in the suit from the company that provided them with their EMDs. Connor quickly hid himself behind her, now that the bulge in his trousers was growing. He cleared his throat and settled his hands on her shoulders. To her immense credit Abby remained poised with her arms across her chest. Soon enough they were joined by all members of the field teams.

Becker began demonstrating the changes and upgrades to the weapons as the rep from the manufacturer began his explanations. Connor was barely able to pay attention, and he was surprised that Abby seemed to be in a similar state as him. She kept clenching her fists and cracking her knuckles, something she did was when was incredible tense or upset. He moved his thumb to the vein in her neck and felt how rapid her pulse was. She wanted him every bit as much he wanted her.

As the hour wore one, both Connor and Abby grew increasingly distracted, bothered and uncomfortable. As Becker started allowing the team members to test the EMDs for themselves, Abby grabbed Connor's hand and they snuck away at the first opportunity. With hearts racing and blood pumping, they rushed through the ARC's hallways trying to find somewhere to shag where they wouldn't get caught. Their labs were too much of a risk. The menagerie pens were all full at present.

"In here!" Connor growled, pulling Abby into a room with him. He slammed door behind them and seconds later, slammed her back against it, fusing his mouth with hers. The room was pitch black and they fumbled with each others' clothing. Connor tore open her blouse, which luckily had snaps instead of buttons. He pulled down one cup of her bra and latched on to the nipple, sucking hungrily. Abby's hands were at his belt, desperate to get his trousers open. Connor saw to her and seconds later he was stripping her of her shoes, then her trousers and knickers.

He lifted her up, put her legs around his waist and sheathed himself inside her with one fluid stroke. Abby bit into her bottom lip to suppress her scream. The familiar burn of her body stretching to accommodate his girth set off a fire inside her and her thighs tightened around his hips as she locked her ankles behind him. Connor wasn't gentle as he began slamming into her, crushing her against the door with each push into her hot sheath. Abby revelled in it, meeting each of his thrusts with a wild buck of her hips. She held on to his shoulders and her eyes rolled back in in head as the coiling ache in the pit of her groin intensified. Hard and fast definitely had its advantages. It took only three more strokes and she was flying, and him along with her. She felt warmth spread through her and her orgasm threatened to take her away entirely, but the soft caress of Connor's kiss to her lips brought her back to Earth.

Connor gently set her down, but kept hold of her. That had been incredible and worth the torturous wait. Abby blindly reached for a lightswitch and when the room was illuminated, she had to laugh. They were in the Caretakers's supply closet. She opened one of the conveniently within reach rolls of toilet paper to clean herself up before beginning to dress.

"Abby... as great as this was, I really don't think we should be doing this at work. We could get caught," Connor broached as he tucked himself into his boxers.

"You're right. We have to keep rational about it. We already had sex this morning. Twice. I've only just gone off birth control, so it's not likely to happen right away anyways. We can still make love in bed in the mornings, or after work, but it should be at home. I really don't think our son or daughter would think it romantic they were conceived in a broom closet."

Connor wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled down at her before kissing her on the forehead. Abby tilted her head back and looked up at him, her gaze brimming with love. They shared a sweet kiss, then another, and another. It wasn't long before passion consumed them again. Hands tore away newly donned clothes and they came together once more, consequences be damned.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

They'd had a date for lunch and Connor had waited for fifteen minutes past the appointed time in his lab where she said she'd meet him. He checked the clock again and decided to go in search of her. It had been one month since they'd decided to start trying for a baby. They'd been over-enthusiastic that first week, but had sobered and usually made love in the mornings. They'd started talking too, mainly about baby names and how to decorate the nursery. They were excited about the prospect of becoming parents. They also agreed that they'd never felt more in love.

He headed towards the menagerie, hoping to find her in her lab. When she wasn't there, he began to worry.

"Jess?" Connor spoke as he activated the comm system in the lab.

"What is it, Connor?" Jess replied from her position at the ADD.

"Can you tell me where Abby is? I can't seem to find her."

"Oh! Of course, one moment." There was few seconds of silence before Jess' voice filled the room again. "Her bio-tag says she's down in the menagerie, in Sid and Nancy's pen."

"Thanks Jess!" Connor hurried down the staircase and across the great expanse of the edifice that housed the creatures. Over the course of the past year since New Dawn, Abby had funnelled the resources the Minister had allotted from Philip Burton and Prospero's substantial dossier into improving the state of the menagerie. With no living heirs, and Burton being a majority shareholder in his company, the Minister had acquired Burton's assets. Abby was proud of how she'd transformed the environment for the creatures into a lush, living breathing sanctuary. Walls had been replaced with transparent and impenetrable clear materials, allowing natural light to flood in. There were even trees to be found, all making for a generally pleasant place to house the wayward creatures. Abby had also arranged for the Mammoth and the Smilodon to be transferred to sanctuaries more befitting their needs, leaving only herbivores inside the ARC. Connor was incredibly proud of his wife.

He found her sitting outside Sid and Nancy's burrow with Sid in her lap and her arms around him. Nancy lay next to them with her chin resting on Abby's thigh. Rex was up in the rafters peering down. Connor looked upon her with great concern. She'd been crying, and was crying still.

"Abby?" he questioned, concern evident in his voice. He got down beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, drawing her near. "Sweetheart, what's the matter?"

She didn't answer, but began crying a new, burying her face against his chest. Connor was confused and felt a tight knot form in his stomach. Whatever had upset her was upsetting him now too. Seeing his wife in tears was breaking his heart in two. He held her until she quieted, all the while kissing her face and speaking soothing words of love to her.

"C'mon, love, tell me what's happened," he finally asked. She let go of Sid and he scampered off with Nancy back into their burrow.

Abby let out a shaky breath and wiped away her tears. "It's nothing, not really. It's stupid."

"Not if it's got you this upset."

"Got my period. That's all. It just means I'm not pregnant."

"Yet, Abby, not pregnant yet. It's only been one month, you've still got the birth control in your system probably. It'll happen eventually."

"I know. You're making perfect sense. I'm just so disappointed. I let myself get my hopes up and I got let down. I'll get over it."

"You will. It'll be okay. You'll see within a few months you'll be having our baby and all this worry and upset will be a distant memory."

"Would you do something for me?"

"Anything you like."

"I was thinking maybe I should go to the doctor. I've been on birth control since I was a teenager, so I think I should make sure that I'm okay, that I can even get pregnant. And I was hoping you could also, y'know, just make sure everything's good. Make sure your swimmers... are swimming."

He laughed, he'd not been able to help himself. He smiled and kissed her. "Course I will, but I think you'll find they're Olympic fit." She laughed herself, feeling quite relieved. "So, time for Nurofen, Chocolate Covered Hobnobs and your heating pad then?"

"And cuddles, lots of cuddles."

He pressed his lips to her forehead and kissed her. "I think that can be arranged."

!*!*!

Three weeks later they were sat together in the waiting room of Abby's doctor waiting to receive the results of the tests and exams they'd had the previous week. Connor's part had been quite a bit more simple than Abby's, needing only to provide a sample to have analyzed. It had actually proved rather fun when Abby had insisted on "helping" him. He could tell she was nervous as she fidgeted beside him. She needed to be reassured by the test results and he did as well. If everything was fine, then they could continue on and let nature takes its course.

"Mr. and Mrs. Temple?" the receptionist called. "If you'll come this way please."

Abby rose and took a deep breath and followed after her with Connor close behind. They were led down the corridor and into an exam room. The place actually looked rather inviting, nothing like those found in a hospital. The office itself was very posh and it was nice to find the rest of it was too. The room was large enough to fit both an exam table as well as a desk and two leather bound chairs opposite from where the doctor would sit. They took their seats and reached for each others' hands, threading their fingers together.

By the time ten minutes of waiting had passed, both were on edge. Whatever the doctor had to say would determine their future. When they heard the click of the door opening, their fingers tightened their grip.

"Hello again, Abby," the doctor spoke as she entered the room. "And it's nice to meet you too, Mr. Temple. I'm Dr. Adrienne Kushal" Connor extended his hand to meet hers and shook it. The woman was older, in her fifties and of Indian descent. Her shoulder length black hair was peppered with gray and she had a pair of wire rimmed spectacles perched on her nose. She was slender with several gold rings on her fingers and a gold piercing in her nose. She carried with her a tablet computer and took a moment after she sat down to bring up their file.

"So..." Abby began, but her voice trailed off. She looked to Connor and he gave her an encouraging smile.

"Let's start with your husband's results shall we? The lab sent them over yesterday and I've just had a chance to review them this morning. You'll both be relieved to know that the semen analysis was very favourable. Connor, you're sitting at approximately forty million sperm per millilitre, which is on the high side of a normal range and their motility level is strong. In other words, you're completely normal and healthy."

Both Connor and Abby breathed a sigh of relief, but Abby still looked worried.

The doctor turned to Abby and spoke. "Abby, you're young, healthy and so is your reproductive system."

At the doctor's words Abby finally smiled and Connor could see tears welling up in her eyes. He knew she must've been elated, and so was he. He kissed her hand and she laughed, suddenly quite giddy.

"Okay, okay, good! So what do we need to do, besides the obvious, I mean," Abby asked. Connor was pleased. She was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Well, it's pretty straight forward, really. I'll send you home with some prenatal vitamins that will help preconception, as well as a few guidelines to follow. As for words of advice, you should do your best to have an orgasm to coincide with Connor ejaculating. If your climax is particularly strong, or brought on by G-Spot stimulation your womb will contract and your cervix will dip down to collect the semen, drawing it up into the uterus. Less work for the sperm to reach your egg."

"How romantic," Connor mumbled, a little surprised by the frankness with which the doctor spoke. Both women failed to notice his sudden discomfort. Abby lay her hand upon his thigh and while he loved having her touch him, all this sudden talk about sex with Abby was making him particularly prone to reacting to her.

"That won't be a problem," Abby replied cheerfully. "Connor's an incredible lover!" His eyebrow quirked at her words. It was nice to know she thought so highly of him. "He's extremely attentive, thorough and giving. And he's also very _very_ well endowed!" she volunteered.

"Abby!" Connor hissed.

"What? You are!" Abby responded before turning back to the doctor. "He always comes pretty big too, usually three or four good swallows if I'm..."

"Abby!" He was mortified, absolutely mortified.

"That's nice to hear, Abby, for your sake," the doctor continued, unable to hide the amusement on her face. "However the size of a man's penis and the amount of semen he ejaculates isn't indicative of the level of active sperm he produces. Fortunately, as I said earlier, Connor's sperm count and their activity are on the high side of normal. There's no reason the two of you shouldn't be able to conceive naturally now that you've been off the birth control for a couple of months and it's had a chance to clear out of your system. It might take a few months for your ovulation cycle to become regular, but I'll send you home with a test kit to determine if you're fertile on any given day. In the meantime, all I can really recommend is that you have lots of sex."

Abby grinned. "We will. Is morning a better time? Because Connor always wakes up with a huge..."

Connor groaned and hid his face in his hands, certain he'd turned a definite shade of tomato red.

"Anytime is fine, but if possible for twenty minutes afterwards remain horizontal, or with your pelvis tilted to allow as much semen as possible to travel towards its goal. Most of all, please try not to get discouraged. Your ovulation cycle will take a little time to regulate itself, I don't expect you'll get pregnant for at least three months. That's not to say it won't happen sooner, but it's not likely," the doctor concluded.

"Thank you, Doctor!" Abby rose and grabbed Connor by the hand, hauling him up. "C'mon, Conn, we've got a baby to make!"

!*!*!

While Abby had always been very affectionate and amorous towards him behind closed doors, he'd not before experienced her deliberately trying to arouse him whilst in traffic. She'd had her hands all over him and by the time they'd reached home and he'd managed to park their vehicle, his trousers were painfully tight and he was painfully erect within them. They stumbled into the flat, barely able to keep their hands off each other. They kissed madly and pawed at each other's clothes as they made their way upstairs.

"I can't wait to tell the girls at the ARC that your sperm..." Abby began, but her words were cut off by Connor's mouth claiming hers. He'd got her top off already and her bra followed shortly there after.

"You wouldn't really?" he asked, his hand snaking down the front of her jeans.

"Maybe... oh Conn, right there." His questing fingers had found her clit and were stroking the little bud as well as dipping between her labia to coax her to arousal.

He pulled his hand away and she whimpered at the loss of his touch. "Abby?"

"Jess is going to ask about the appointment though, you don't want me to tell her the truth?"

He grabbed her again, tearing open her jeans and pulling them down her legs along with her knickers. "Get on the bed, Abby." The commanding tone in his voice made her belly coil with lust and her nipples harden on the spot. There was something incredibly sexy about him when he told her what to do when it came to their sex life. Connor knew all too well the effect it had on her. This was the only instance in which she gave up control. The trust between them was strong and ran deep. "Lay down, on your stomach and spread your legs."

With body shaking with anticipation, Abby crawled on to the bed and did as he told her, laying on her stomach with her arms folded beneath her. Connor watched as she offered herself to him and waited. The mattress dipped as he knelt behind her and then his probing fingers were opening her up and being coated with her juices. He loomed over her and her breathing quickened to short little pants. Her eyes were closed and her mouth open.

Connor growled and licked a trail up her spine as he sheathed himself inside her in one fluid motion. He arched back and Abby moaned loudly as his cock stretched her to her limits. With his hands on either side of her Connor rolled his hips against her, lifting her up from the bed before pressing her back down into the mattress. She had a penchant for being taken from behind. Abby was well in touch with her primal side and loved being made love to in this fashion when she was especially aroused. He knew that sometimes she liked it deep and hard, but felt safe in the knowledge that it was always tempered with a sensuality that came from the love that connected them. He continued with the same treatment, his cock lifting her pelvis up, then her pushing down with each roll of his hips. After each stroke he clenched his arse to push himself in as deep as he could with one hot, hard jab that make her cry out.

Abby clenched fistfuls of the blankets in her hands and abandoned herself to Connor. This position always hit her in all the right places. It wouldn't be long before she was overwhelmed by an intense orgasm. Connor began to move faster, bucking and thrusting with greater vigour, huffing and grunting as he moved. Those delicious sounds heightened Abby's enjoyment. He felt her sinking deeper into oblivion with him until finally the breaking point came and they both peaked. Abby came with a wordless cry, her entire body overcome and she could barely contain the power of the orgasm that enveloped her. Connor felt her body claiming his with a crushing vice. He seized above her and released deep inside her with thick pulses.

He collapsed beside her in a sweaty heap, drawing in lungs full of air. Abby smiled and sighed as her sex clenched and twitched in the aftermath. That had been magnificent. Her smile deepened when she felt Connor's hands on her body and his lips kissing her back. He turned her over to lay beside him and his hand came to rest on her lower abdomen. Through tired eyes they shared a look of love and hope that soon they'd have their baby.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Connor did his best to ignore what was the fifth text in as many minutes. His phone vibrated and the short chorus from the song he'd chosen to identify with Abby played.

"Aren't you going to answer her?" Becker asked, doing his best to hide his smirk. Everyone at the ARC knew full well that Connor was henpecked and at his wife's beck and call. Since they'd started try for a baby, anytime day or night she wanted sex, he dutifully went off to give it to her. After failing to conceive four months in a row, Abby was on a mission. Come hell or high water, she was going to get pregnant. Basically, Connor had become her sex slave, which amused the ARC's men to no end.

Most blokes wouldn't have minded, and most of the time Connor didn't, but things had become rather detached as of late. In fact, he'd say his heart wasn't in it at all. He loved Abby with every fibre of his being, but sex between them had become functional and not terribly fulfilling. He felt that the purpose for their matings was all about conception and less about showing each other love.

Connor sighed, and turned his phone to silent. "In a minute," Connor spoke, his voice weary. "Would like to finish taking these readings first." He looked longingly at the anomaly, half tempted to dive on through. The atmosphere was unbreathable, and the Earth was mostly molten lava on the other side, but at least he'd not have to get an erection on command.

"I can do it for you if she needs you." Becker was trying to be sympathetic. While most of the time it was amusing to see Connor jump at Abby's command. Becker had been closely observing his two friends over the past four months. He'd seen first hand their love and devotion and the desire to turn that into bringing a new person into the world. But, he'd also seen Abby's hopes waning and her grow increasingly irritable. She'd snapped at him and Matt both, but it was often Connor who bore the brunt of it. She demanded from him and he gave without question, but she still took most of her negative feelings out on him. Connor had shared with him that the reason she'd been so unthoughtful towards him was because he truly loved her and she knew deep down that he'd always forgive her. She was hurting and she was scared and for that, he'd endure her bad moods.

"This won't take long. Fifteen minutes isn't going to make a difference."

"Connor, don't bite my head off, but have you and Abby talked about what's going on between you?"

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Connor snapped. He must've recognized the surprise on Becker's face at his aggressive reply and tempered himself. "No, not really. I love her, more than anything, but she's sort of forgotten about me in all of this. I want us to have a baby, I really do, but the making of them shouldn't be such a chore, should it? She's not into it anymore than I am... the sex that is."

"I gathered. You both seem... frustrated. Unhappy."

"Every day that Abby isn't pregnant she feels like she's failing. She doesn't think she's meant to be a mum. She didn't have it easy growing up, you know? Her mum didn't take very good care of her or Jack, left them alone most of the time. When her mum was home, she was usually drunk and usually had a bloke with her. Some of those men even tried to have their way with Abby, but she fought 'em off. Her mum always blamed her when those scum didn't stick around. Point is, for most of her life, Abby's felt like she's not good enough and this is just compounding it. She deserves to be a mum. She'll be a good mum."

"She will. Maybe it's just stress? Our jobs aren't exactly safe or predictable. The two of you know that better than anyone."

"Abby said as soon as she got pregnant we'd both go on desk duty. I'd research, she'd look after the menagerie. We'd not go back in the field either. We both grew up without fathers, so we'd want the best for our child."

Becker clapped his hand on Connor's shoulder. "You'll both be wonderful parents."

Connor nodded and passed Becker his tablet computer before pulling his mobile out of his back pocket. "Thanks mate."

"No problem. Good luck."

Connor walked away from the anomaly towards his vehicle, reading Abby's texts along the way. The first four were asking him to meet her at home. The last one however gave him pause. _Nevermind. Don't bother. See you for dinner. _He didn't like the sound of that at all. She sounded like she was giving up. He quickly replied. _On my way now. I love you. _A few seconds later she texted him back. _I love you too._ It was a start.

The flat was quiet when he entered, not that he'd expected Abby to jump him the moment he'd walked through the door. Though, that had actually happened several times. He made his way upstairs towards their bedroom.

She was there, but the nature of whatever it was she was engaged in confused him.

"Abby, love, what on Earth are you doing?" Connor asked after several minutes observing her. She lay in the middle of their bed, naked, with several polished stones and crystals of varying sizes laid out over her abdomen and torso. Her eyes were closed and her arms were opened wide, her reach nearly spanning the width of the bed.

"Making my womb an hospitable and inviting place for your sperm," she replied before resuming her deep, steady breathing.

"Beg pardon?" He tried to hide the mirth and disbelief in his voice and nearly succeeded. He sobered and wiped the smirk from his face as she cracked open one eye and glared at him.

"Preshti, in Legal, she said that what might be preventing me from getting pregnant is that my chakras are misaligned and therefore are creating a hostile environment for conception to take place."

"And this is going to align them?"

"She's got four children and she's teaches how to be a birthing doula on the weekends."

"Ah, I see... Abby, your body isn't hostile!" He really didn't know what to say to her. He knew she was disappointed and worried that they'd not conceived yet. But, it had only been three months since their visit to Abby's doctor. They had been told that most couples were made to try on their own for an entire year before they'd be considered for alternative treatment. Suddenly Abby sat straight up and was gathering up the stones that had rolled off, putting them back into the pouch she'd snatched from the bedside table.

"Who am I kidding!" Her tears immediately began to fall. She cast away the bag of stones and buried her face in her hands. Connor moved swiftly to her side wrapping her up in his arms. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I wish I knew what was wrong with me!"

This wasn't his Abby at all! His wife was strong and confident, like nothing in the world could touch her. He knew her vulnerable side like no one else, but even then, she was never this despondent, never this down on herself. He picked her robe up off the floor where she'd discarded it and wrapped it around her as he pressed kisses to her neck and cheek.

"There's not a thing wrong with you, love."

"Then why aren't I pregnant yet?"

"Because it's not the right time. The doctor even said she didn't expect it would happen in the first three months. Don't give up."

She looked up at him with her big blue doe eyes, full of tears and his heart broke for her. "The more it doesn't happen, the more I want it and the more I want it, the more I'm certain it'll never happen."

"Abby, no matter what occurs, one way or another I promise we'll have a baby."

"But I want _your_ baby, not someone else's."

"Listen, you're stressed and so am I. This started out as fun, as something beautiful and it's not anymore, is it?"

She shook her head and sniffed, trying to reign in her tears. "I've treated you terribly, haven't I?"

"Nothing I can't take. Why don't we stop for a while? Stop focusing on the end result and try to concentrate on you n' me. I read that stress is one of the main things that could be affecting your body. Maybe if we just let nature take its course our luck will change?"

"Just be Connor and Abby for a little while longer?"

"Exactly." Abby reached for him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight. Her returned her embrace, rubbing his hand up and down her back to soothe her. They held each other for a long time, letting go of all their woes. After a while, they pulled back and looked deep into each others eyes. Their lips met and they shared a warm, loving kiss. Connor caressed her neck and shoulders and felt the stirrings of arousal in his groin. Even in the worst of times, he'd always desired her. This time was different however. They hadn't been this relaxed together in weeks. "I want you, love."

"Me too, Conn." Her hand drifted down to cup him through his trousers. "Funny, it suddenly feels different."

"Does it now? Promise you it hasn't changed."

"Not your cock, you nit, this..." She motioned between them back and forth. "Us."

"This time'll be just for fun, yeah?"

"Yeah! Definitely."

"In that case..."

Abby let out a surprised yelp when he launched himself off the bed, making her bounce and nearly fall off herself. He whipped around, standing before her with a wicked grin on his face. He stripped away her robe and flung it aside before kneeling down on the floor in front of her. The look in his eyes was one of pure lust, something she'd not seen for a while. During their recent lack lustre couplings, it hadn't been there. He grabbed her and kissed her hard until she was gasping for breath. He tore his mouth from hers and she pulled his shirts off and over his head, throwing them back over her shoulder. He lay his hands to her chest and shoulders, caressing her body before pushing her back to lay on the bed with her legs dangling over the edge.

He pried her legs apart by the knees, held them firmly and buried his face between them. His tongue snaked through her labia and in deep. Abby cried out and her body arched. She tensed when he rolled his tongue against her inner flesh and then she began to writhe, just as Connor wanted. He'd not done this in quite some time and she was well overdue for a good seeing to. He swirled his tongue inside her, stroking and devouring her with a insatiable hunger as her juices flowed over his tongue. He savoured and tended to her in the same fashion for several minutes, pleased with the way she quivered and spasmed against his tongue and lips.

Once she was deliciously sopping wet he changed his technique. He lashed at her swollen clit, circling it with his tongue and grazing with his teeth. She heaved for breath and her skin broke out in a sweat. He returned to plunging his tongue inside her over and over, but in between lapping up her juices, he took time to suckle upon the hard little of her clit until her whimpers sounded almost painfilled. He was relentless and voracious, giving her no quarter. Abby clutched handfuls of his hair and her heels beat themselves against his back, but he allowed her not a moment's reprieve. He knew it was too much for her when she began begging him to stop, but he paid her pleas no heed.

His hands moved up her body to grasp and knead her breasts, plucking at her nipples and pinching them while he sucked hard on her clit. He put a tiny pit of pressure upon it with his teeth and she was gone. She came with a scream of his name, her body twisting away from him but Connor's hands gripped her and held her down as he revelled in the sensation of her pussy clenching rhythmically against his succulent kisses.

"Too much... too much!" she sobbed as he continued to coax her orgasm along with continued laps with his tongue and kisses to her nether lips. "Conn, please..." He gave her one last long lick over her clit that had her keening once more before crawling up on to the bed with her. He settled beside her and gently wiped the tracks of tears from her cheeks with his fingertips. He kissed her mouth and tasting herself on his lips excited her and the kiss intensified.

After a few minutes she pushed him on to his back and parted from him. "Connor Temple, you are an incredible lover," she spoke in a husky voice.

"Had a whole year of solid practice on a daily basis, didn't I? If the Cretaceous was good for one thing..."

"The Cretaceous was good for a lot of things. A whole lot of things. I love you, so much. Now, relax, I want to take care of you." She started at his neck, suckling and nipping at his throat while her hands undid his belt and trousers. He'd been hard the entire time he'd been seeing to her and was eager for his own release, as well as inclined to enjoy every second of it. She rose from the bed for a moment only, to pull off his trousers and boxers, letting them join her robe on the floor. It always did his ego quite good to see the look of hunger in her eyes whenever she had him naked. Much like he'd spent a year in the Cretaceous feasting on her, she'd done the same with him.

She ran her hands up his thighs as she climbed back on to the bed. She reclined perpendicular to him and took hold of the thick column of his cock, her fingers unable to meet her thumb around his girth. She first enticed him by bringing the tip to her breast and painting her nipple with the beads of precum that dewed the broad head. She knew full well the sight of it drove him wild. Her other hand came into play, easing down his foreskin to reveal to rounded end and its soft skin. She began with a soft kiss to the top that made him groan. As her lips eased over him and she opened her mouth wider to accept him, he surrendered. There was nothing quite like his wife's gorgeous mouth and the way her tongue swished and swirled over each sensitive vein and spot as she took him deeper.

Keeping a lock around the base of his shaft, Abby sucked in her cheeks to create a painful pressure around him. She held him there until he began to plead with her for more. She started to bob her head, sucking hard as her tongue and saliva wetted his flesh and made him glide in and out easily. A series of expletives passed his lips and he threw his head back and groaned. His hand wove into the tendrils of her blonde hair and cupped the back of her head, urging her to go faster. She obliged for a time, then slowed just before he was about to come. It was too soon for her liking. She wanted to prolong the experience for a little while longer.

She pulled off him and pressed slow, sensual kisses over his cock, sucking on his flesh with each one, worshipping and savouring him as he had her. When she reached the head again, she released the base and moved her hand downwards to cup his sack, massaging his balls and rolling them in her palm. She encased him once more, only this time, went a little further. With nothing but time on their hands in the Cretaceous, she'd practised and worked until she was able to take him down her throat. She took a deep breath, relaxed and eased him down until her lips encircled the base. Next was the one thing that always made him come. She began swallowing around him repeatedly at the same time as giving his sac a firm squeeze.

"Abby!" he cried and released, his entire body shaking. She continued to swallow until she'd taken every last drop from him. He went limp and she eased him from her mouth slowly until he slipped free. Looking every bit like that cat that had got the cream, she kissed a path up his body, tasting his skin and its sweat as she did so until she reach his lips, capturing them for a slow kiss. There was a smile on his face and a look of utter adoration in his eyes.

They settled in each others arms, warm, satiated and content. For a time, they'd put their worries behind them and remember that their bond was unbreakable.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Connor couldn't stop shaking. He felt nauseous and as if he was coming apart at the seams. If Becker and Matt weren't holding him up, he was sure he'd crumple to the floor. Things had been going so well at the anomaly. He and the others had been guiding a young Massospondylus from the early Jurassic down the alley towards the anomaly and home. But then a cat of all things had come out from under a skip and howled and hissed at the herbivore, spooking it. It had reared up and swung its tail in quite a wide swoop, knocking into Abby and sending her flying. It had all happened in the span of mere seconds, but to Connor it felt like slow motion. He physically felt the pain of Abby's body hitting the brick wall. Watching her slip bonelessly to the ground shattered him and he'd been in a state of shock until Matt had given him a good hard shake. The Massospondylus had carried on and returned home through the anomaly. Becker had locked it while one of his men assessed Abby and called for an ambulance.

Connor rushed to her side, screaming her name, but she was unresponsive and there was a blood in her hair. Connor had barely been able to cope at that time, pleading with Abby to stay with him. She wasn't breathing and Becker had to administer emergency resuscitation. The blow would've knocked the wind from her lungs and after a few moments she'd begun to breathe, yet did not awake. Connor was still a wreck as the EMTs put Abby in the ambulance, refusing to let go of her hand as he climbed in with her.

Security at the hospital had to tear him away from her so the doctors in Casualty could assess her. Fortunately, Matt and Becker had arrived seconds later and took hold of their friend. And here Connor found himself with Matt and Becker holding his arms and keeping him steady.

A nurse came running towards them and Connor felt his stomach drop. "Which one of you is Mrs. Temple's husband?" she asked. "Is it you?" She looked to Connor and he nodded his head. "We're taking her for X-rays, we just need to know if there's a chance she could be pregnant?"

Connor was dumbstruck. He didn't know how to answer. The thought that she might be filled him not with great joy as it would under different circumstances, but instead with horrible dread. If she was, then he was convinced a miscarriage was imminent.

"Mr. Temple?"

"Yes," Becker finally answered for him. "It's possible."

"Thank you!" The nurse left as quickly as she came, rushing back to where Abby was just being wheeled out of the theatre she'd been taken into. She was surrounded by doctors and nurses shouting out commands in jargon he didn't understand. As she disappeared around a corner, his legs gave out.

He wasn't sure if he'd passed out, or if time was even relevant, but Connor felt as if he'd been in limbo for hours. His elbow rested on his thigh where he sat in a chair and his forehead rested in his hand. His eyes were closed and behind them he kept reliving the moment of seeing the Massospondylus' tail knocking into Abby and her subsequent impact against the brick wall. The thud of her body hitting still jolted his own. His entire being ached, convinced he'd felt her pain and was feeling it still.

"Connor Temple?" a man's voiced called. Connor was up in a shot, locking his eyes on the doctor and rushing towards him.

"How's my wife?" The desperation was evident in his voice.

"Your wife's resting comfortably now. I'll take you to her in a moment."

"She's okay? She's okay?"

"Yes, she'll be fine. She's not escaped unscathed, but it's nothing she won't make a full recovery from. From what I understand, her assailant threw her against a brick wall?" They hadn't shared the fact that it was a dinosaur that had injured Abby. The ARC was generally part of public knowledge, but singular incidents that didn't cause a raucous such as the Albertosaurus running amuck through the streets of London a few months ago, didn't make headlines.

"Yes, that's right," Matt confirmed as he and Becker came to stand at Connor's side.

"She sustained a concussion to the back of her head and needed a few stitches too. The duty nurse will explain what that entails..."

"I've had a few myself," Connor murmured and the doctor moved on.

"She's also got a crack to her left scapula and some damage to the cartilage of her rotator cuff. She'll be in a quite a lot of pain for several weeks and she'll have to do her best not to use her arm until it's had a chance to properly heel, then she'll have to get into physiotherapy, but in the long run she should make a full recovery. She's been in and out of consciousness but by this evening we expect her to be fully cognizant. Unfortunately we can only give her limited amounts of painkillers due to the fetuses she's carrying..."

Connor was fairly certain the moment the words were out of the doctor's mouth, both his stomach and his heart drop to his feet. "Fetuses?" he managed, his voice cracking.

"Were you two not aware? The bloodwork indicated Mrs. Temple was pregnant, so we performed an ultrasound. It seems you're expecting twins. She's about ten weeks along."

Connor couldn't help or control himself in that moment. He burst into tears. Becker even choked up at little and felt a tightness in his throat. Matt wrapped his arm around Connor's shoulders and guided him along as the doctor led them to the room in which Abby would be spending the next few days. Seeing her there in the hospital bed was overwhelming, but he managed to make it to her side before collapsing in the chair next to the bed. He was left alone with her after that.

The stress of the past few hours were too much for him and sobbed into his hands until he hadn't anything left in him. Alone with his wife in the darkened room, Connor said his prayers and thanked the powers that be that his beloved wife hadn't been taken from him. He stared at her for long minutes. Her hair was unkempt, but she looked peaceful, even with IV drips in her veins and a heart monitor attached to her finger. The steady and strong beat from the machine heartened him.

He realized in all time he'd been with her, he'd not touched her. Compelled to acknowledge that what Abby had desired all along was a reality, he rolled down the blankets that covered her and slipped his hand under her hospital gown to rest firmly over her abdomen. He closed his eyes and willed his strength and his love to his and Abby's children. He wasn't quite sure if he could really believe that Abby was pregnant, and with twins no less, but for the first time in a very long time, he thought maybe there would be more smiles and then tears of sadness in the coming months.

"Connor?" He heard her faint voice and he turned to her immediately, but his hand remained over where their children were nestled, growing and become more real each day. His other hand caressed her cheek as she winced and slowly came to.

"Don't try and move, love, you got pretty banged up," he explained. "Just relax, you'll feel better in no time. I promise."

"My head hurts. Why are the lights out?"

"You've got a concussion. It's better for your eyes to have 'em out. Trust me." She smiled slightly and nodded. "And you'll be dizzy, so don't try and lift your head up yet either."

"My shoulder..."

"You cracked your shoulder blade and damaged some cartilage. You'll recover... oh, Abby, you scared me half to death!"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to. You might've deserved it a little, after all the times you've done it to me."

"Fair enough." He chuckled and leaned in close, softly kissing her. As he pulled away and their eyes met he spoke again. "You're pregnant. With twins."

"Wha...? I'm not... I can't..."

He smile broadened at the look of astonishment on her face and the tears that came to her eyes almost instantly. "That's what the doctors told me. They even did an ultrasound. Two babies, Abby. We're having two babies."

"I'm pregnant? Really? You're not kidding?"

He shook his head and his hand began to rub back and forth over her abdomen. "Ten weeks along already." Her hand grabbed his and he lifted it away, letting hers fall to where their children lay. He covered it with his own and together they held their little ones. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she couldn't bring forth any more words. They kissed and cried together, never having shared a more beautiful moment in all their lives, uncaring of the circumstances.

!*!*!

One week later, Abby was being discharged from the hospital. Lester and Connor both had insisted she take full advantage of the care at her disposal and remain as long as possible. She could tolerate the light again, and didn't grow faint or dizzy when she stood. Finally being allowed to wash her hair was the highlight of her week. She'd have to keep her stitches in another week, but the bump to the back of her head didn't hurt half as much. Her shoulder however felt useless and her arm was immobilized in a sling and would be for a while yet. Before Abby left the hospital however, she had an appointment with her own doctor.

Connor was still treating her as if she were made of glass, but she was happy to indulge him. For once she didn't mind being cared for and cosseted. He'd helped her dress and and lifted her into the wheelchair before guiding her through the halls to where they'd meet Dr. Kushal so she could perform a proper ultrasound and they could see their babies for the first time. Abby had a lot of questions. She's not had any of the expected symptoms of a pregnancy and a few things worried her.

The doctor was so happy for them that she actually hugged Abby before leading them into the small room to perform the procedure. Connor lifted her on to the exam table and helped her into a comfortable position, then sat himself beside her on the table against her good shoulder, taking hold of her hand.

"Are you ready?" the doctor asked.

"More than ready! I'm too scared to believe it's real yet," Abby spoke, squeezing Connor's hand.

"You have a lot of questions I imagine." The doctor went about preparing the wand and the machine, waiting for Abby to speak.

"I've still been having my periods. I mean, they've always been sort of light, and the past two months they have been too. I'm due this week, but there've been no signs..."

"Every women is different. Some have some bleeding for the first couple of months. They're not the same as a regular period however, it's usually caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the blood-rich lining of the uterus. Were they longer than three days?"

"No, they weren't. I haven't had any pregnancy symptoms. Shouldn't I have known?"

"Not all women do. Believe it or not, some women don't even realize they're pregnant until they're nearly full term. One thing I've learned over the past twenty five years is that no pregnancy is truly by the book."

"The kit you gave me, for testing to see if I was ovulating... it still said I was..."

"Now that is something to think about. I'll know more once we've done the ultrasound. Your hormones may have been irregular and not have signalled to your ovaries properly during the initial stages of conception. If the twins are fraternal, it's possible they were conceived a few days or even weeks apart. We'll have to monitor them closely to make sure they're developing at a similar rate. Time to have a look, don't you think?"

"I'll warn you, I'm going to cry," Connor quipped. "Probably quite a lot, without a shred of dignity."

"You wouldn't be the first father I've seen do that," the doctor assured him. With the machine ready, Connor pulled up Abby's top and tugged down the loose fitting yoga trousers she was wearing, exposing her bare abdomen. She certainly didn't look pregnant yet, but that would soon change. The gel the doctor administered was cool and made Abby shiver. She pressed the wand to Abby's skin firmly and moved it around. A smile spread across her face. "There's no mistaking it, there's two. Congratulations! They're very well positioned too, one on each side, let me show you the first... there..." She pointed to the white shape on the screen. "This one's a good four inches long almost. They'll already look quite human, head, arms and legs. Very healthy. Now, over here..." She moved the wand to Abby's left side and showed another shape. "This one's not as big, but they are fraternal and not sharing a placenta, so there's no risk for the bigger one to take nutrients from their little sibling. I'm going to recommend you come in to my office once a month for us to make sure this little one's developing properly." The doctor looked to the parents to be and smiled. They were both totally enraptured by what they were seeing on the monitor. She pressed a button on the machine and suddenly the room was filled with two very rapid little heartbeats, thrumming out of rhythm with each other but both equally as strong.

Connor was the first to break and began blubbering almost straight away. Abby followed shortly after, clutching at Connor's hand as she lost all composure. The doctor let them enjoy the sound of their children's heartbeats for a little while longer before taking the wand away and allowing the sound to fade.

"Let me give you two some privacy. I'm going to get the video and some pictures put on a flash drive for you to take home," the doctor explained as she cleaned the gel from Abby's abdomen and helped her right her clothes. Connor choked out half a dozen thank yous.

Once they were alone, they finally looked to each other, both still crying and quickly came together for a passionate kiss that took their breath away. He moved from her lips and down to her abdomen, pressing firm kisses over her skin. In no time soon, she'd be showing and likely get quite large indeed before she was due. Abby closed her eyes and revelled in the feel of Connor's lips against her, stroking her fingers through his hair as he showered their babies with love and affection. It had been a difficult few months to get to this point, but here they were. Finally Abby felt a peace in her heart, while Connor was overcome with love and joy. They couldn't wait to be parents. In the meantime they'd cherish every moment between now and then.


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

Connor was not fond of hospitals and loathed spending more time in one than was absolutely necessary. He had mostly negative associations with them, usually involving people he loved being hurt or dying. This time however, he didn't mind so much as he walked the halls, having gone to get himself a cup of coffee. They'd had a very long day and it was going to be a very long night. He thought it best that he try and stay up as late as possible to watch over Abby and the twins.

It hadn't been an easy journey to parenthood. Carrying two babies had taken its toll on Abby and towards the end of the pregnancy she'd needed his help to even walk to the bathroom. She was a small thing to begin with and bringing twins into the world was almost more than her body could handle. There were many sleepless nights, back aches, sore feet, sore everything. Connor did his best to see her through them and was always amazed by the way in which she bore all the stresses with love. Often he'd caught her talking to the twins as she stroked her growing belly, telling them how much she loved them already. Even on nights when she was so exhausted she was near tears and the pair were kicking up a storm inside her, she still hummed to them and found the will to smile for him.

The birthing process however still had him feeling weak kneed and ready to break out into a cold sweat. It had taken close to twelve hours of labour to bring their newborns into the world, and Abby had been fierce and resilient throughout. She'd been preparing herself for a natural childbirth, but eventually accepted an epidural. The hour and a half of pushing to bring forth their firstborn had been the single most terrifying and intense of his entire life. He could only imagine it had been a hundred fold for Abby. The look of sheer determination on her face throughout would stay with him forever. She'd been glorious and he'd never been more proud. When their beautiful Nicholas had emerged and his loud squalls filled the delivery room, both of them had burst into tears. He was perfect. Connor had held him first, kissing his forehead and bringing him to Abby. Mother and son had a few minutes together, Abby caressing the crown of his head and his thick mop of dark hair and she cooed and kissed him until he'd calmed.

There was still another baby to birth and soon the process started up again. Abby insisted that Connor hold their son rather than aid her with delivering their second child. Abby had very direct opinions on how she wanted their children's first moments in the world to be. The midwife was admirably competent, as was her assistant, but Abby's wishes were clear. He'd stood by her and coached her along until twenty minutes later, their daughter was born. She was tiny, a full pound and a half smaller than her brother, but Sarah's cries outdid Nicholas's. This time Abby got to hold her first, taking the flailing little girl in her hands and kissing her cheek, crying along with her and with Connor.

Hours later, after Abby had been tended to and the twins registered, Connor walked the halls back towards the private room he'd left Abby and the children in. A nurse had come and spent a couple of hours with them, teaching Abby how to nurse two babies. Connor would be quite involved as the task wasn't an easy one. Given his size, Nicholas would need to be supplemented with formula from a bottle and Connor looked forward to the bonding time with his son that would afford. Sarah would need as much as possible of her mother's milk to help put on weight and catch up to her brother. Both of them knew there were challenging times ahead, but for their little ones, there was nothing they wouldn't endure and would do so with the utmost care and love.

The entire time they'd been at the hospital, he'd had something he'd wanted to give his wife and now that things were settled, he hoped the time had come. He sipped his coffee and smiled at the duty nurse as he passed the desk. He entered Abby's room as quietly as possible and felt a flutter in his heart at the sight that greeted him. The room was illuminated by a dim lamp for sensitive newborn eyes. Abby was propped up in her bed covered in warm blankets. She'd managed a shower earlier and she looked refreshed, though he knew she was beyond tired. Her eyes were closed, but he could sense she was awake still. The smile on her face couldn't have been more telling. She was in heaven. The twins were cuddled up on her chest, their heads tucked under her chin. The babies were curled up much as they'd been in the womb, legs tucked up and arms close to their chests. However, what truly made his heart feel like it might burst from his chest from being so full of love was how Nicholas held his sister's hand.

Each of Abby's hands held a twin secure, her thumb rubbing back and forth on their backs. The moment couldn't have been more perfect.

"Go ahead and snap a picture. I know you're dying to," Abby spoke softly, not opening her eyes.

"Sorry, love," he murmured. He brought out his phone and quickly captured the scene. He'd email it to everyone at the ARC later. He set his coffee aside and made his way to them after locking the door to Abby's room. He didn't mind admitting he was feeling a little paranoid. Abby and the babies were vulnerable and while he was sure the hospital staff were competent, he just couldn't take any chances. Abby's eyes opened as he bent down to kiss her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"As expected, Conn, I gave birth twice in one day. It's a good thing we had as much sex as we did when I was pregnant, because there's no way I'm letting you anywhere near me until they're at least crawling!"

"Duly noted. We'll be so tired, I doubt I could even get it up."

"Connor, you get an erection when you watch me make breakfast."

"I can't help it that you're gorgeous and sexy."

"Not so much right now."

"Nonsense. You've never been more beautiful. You did it, Abbs, they're so perfect."

"You had a hand in it too and yeah, they are."

"Listen, love..." He sat himself down next to her on the bed, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "I'm not sure right now's the best time, but I wanted to give you a little something. It's not much, but, well, thought a token might be nice..." He took a deep breath and brought out the little jewelry box from his pocket. "I know you've always said you didn't want a proper engagement ring and that me mum's wedding band was all you needed, but still..." He opened the velvet box to reveal a sparkling golden ring with three brilliant gems set upon it. Each stone was three quarters of a carat in size and she immediately knew what they meant. It was hers and Connor's birthstones on either side of that of the twins'. He knew she was touched by the gesture by the tears in her eyes and the way her bottom lip trembled. He leaned in and kissed her, pouring all his love and gratitude into it. He was crying too.

"It's so beautiful, thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you giving me our babies."

"Anytime. I mean that. Six kids if you like."

"Bite your tongue. Let's get through the next couple of years, okay?"

"Okay. Love you, Abby, and thank you for giving me our babies."

"I love you too."

"Sleep, I'll keep watch." He put the ring box back in his pocket, kissed her again and then kissed each of his children, smiling when they stirred and then snuggled closer to their mum. He was pretty sure he could convince Abby to have more children some day. At the very least, he knew they'd both enjoy the making of them.

With his precious new family sound asleep and safe, Connor settled himself in the chair beside the bed with his cup of coffee in hand and beheld his amazing wife and their beautiful babies.

The End


End file.
